Roll clearers



Jan. 22, 1963 H. s. BARR, JR., ETAL 7 ROLL CLEARERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 9, 1956 INVENTORS HARRY S. BARR JR. NAGEL. STENBERG f1) ATTORNEY RN T P. BY JO ACH IM FUR Jan. 22, 1963 H. s BARR, JR., ETAL ROLL CLEARERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1956 BY .1040 In runsm/u'n ATTORNEY H. S. BARR, JR., ETAL Jan. 22, 1963 ROLL CLEARERS Filed Jan.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 9.

FIG. IO.

INVENTORS HARRY S. BARR. JR.

ERNST P. NAGEL. BY JOACIIII ,rons'rn ano ATTORNEY United States Patent 9 3,074,121 ROLL CLEARERS Harry S. Barr, Jr., and Ernst P. Nagel, Charlotte, NC,

and Joachim Furstenberg, Esslingen, Germany, assignors to Pneumafil Corporation, Charlotte, NC, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 9, 1956, Ser. No. 557,877 1 Claim. (Cl. 19-263) This invention relates to an auxiliary attachment designed for application to any machinery through which a lint producing material passes, whereby the lint is removed from the machinery. More particularly the novel structure here provided is adapted for use on yarn producing, or textile fabricating equipment to clear lint from the rolls of said equipment.

Any equipment or machinery designed for the handling or fabricating of lint producing articles such as yarns, textiles, knit goods, pressed fibers, or the like is subject to a deleterious action as a result of the collection of lint n the parts of the machinery. The resulting lint collection serves to absorb lubricating materials from the lubrication points of the machinery with the result that the operation of the machine is made less eifective and subject to greater wear. Additionally these lint collections function to hinder the smooth flow of material and to damage the materials passing through or produced by the machinery in question. Particular problems are engendered in the production or handling of fibers employed in the production of yarns. Machinery employed for this purpose is provided with rolls for facilitating the transfer of the yarn between succeeding fabrication steps. The

friction between the aforesaid rolls and the yarn fibers passing thereover produces a static electric charge on said rolls which serve to increase the tendency of lint collection on said rolls and on the journals mounting said rolls for rotation. This increases production costs, due to the need for expenditure of time in cleaning of the equipment and a general slow-up of the delivery speeds of the machinery. I

The trend in newer textile machinery development is towards increased delivery speeds. With an increase in delivery speed, however, there is a rapid lint build-up on the roll. Attempts have been made to eliminate this lint build-up by means of wiper members positioned adjacent said rolls. However, such wiper members or clearers produce so-called eyebrows which must per-i odically be removed to prevent adhesion of material to the roll or lapping and unevenness of the processed mate'- rial. Many of the advantages of increased production speed are thus lost by down time spent in removing laps.

it is with the above problems in mind that the present construction has been evolved, a construction providing an auxiliary attachment for applications to any machinery in which the accumulation of lint on any parts thereof is inimical to the proper functioning of said machinery, whereby the removal of said lint is implemented.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide an auxiliary attachment applicable to any ma chinery for the removal of lint from its moving parts.

It is also an object of this invention to provide equipment for removing lint from rotary members of machinery. Another object of this invention is to provide an improvement in yarn producing apparatus to eliminate lint Y accumulations on the rolls of said equipment.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for preventing lint from clogging the bearings of fiber handling equipment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic clearer for the removal of lint from textile machinery.

An additional object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary attachment suitable for application to existing equipment for the removal of lint therefrom.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a simple, readily maintainable lint removal attachment applicable to a wide variety of machinery.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a clearer for textile machinery which will not require the services of an operator.

These and other objects of this invention which will become more apparent from the following disclosure and claim are achieved by provision of a wiping member, made up of .a relatively resilient construction, arranged adjacent the moving parts to be cleared of lint. The shape of this wiping member is such as to permit same to be maintained contiguously to the moving surface which it is desired to clear and supported in a housing enclosing a portion of the moving surface, whereby a relatively closed chamber is formed, with the surface to be cleared forming one wall thereof and the wiping member functioning to funnel any foreign matter into said chamber. The housing is coupled into the conduits of a pneumatic system whereby any material collected in said housing is drawn oif.

The specific constructional details of a preferred apparatus embodying the hereindisclosed inventive concept and their mode of functioning will be made most manifest and particularly pointed out in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 represents a perspective view of the novel clearer shown as applied to a bottom roll such as is conventionally employed in textile machinery.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view looking at the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 from the opposite side. FIGURE 3 is a perspective view with parts broken away of the wiping members showing the details of its laminate construction.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating its application to a pin drafting textile machine.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a pneumatic clearer as applied to the bottom roll of the installation shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the clearer shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view on the line 7'7 of FIGURE 5, looking in the direction of the arrows; show-ingthe details of the stationary wiper pad and the I moving belt clearer.

. FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view'on the line 8.-8 of FIGURE 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, illns; trating a suggested'mounting for the wiper belt.

FIGURE 9 is a schematic cross-sectional detail, illus trating another embodiment of the hereindisclosed inventive concept.

FIGURE 10 illustrates a schematic detail of another embodiment of the invention employing an auxiliaryfollower wiper.

FIGURE 11 illustrates a schematic detail of a further embodiment of this invention applying the inventive concept to a plurality of rolls positioned in a unitary housing.

FIGURE vl2 illustrates a schematic view showing a suggested arrangement for clearing the rolls of a yarn spinning, roving, or drawing frame.

FIGURE 13 illustrates another schematic arrangement of application of the inventive concept to a yarn draw frame.

FIGURE 14 illustrates an alternative wiper member.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like c) numerals in the various figures will be taken to designate like parts.

As best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, the novel lint removing clearer is seen to comprise a housing 11, adapted to be mounted on roll R. The housing 11, as best seen in FIGURES 5-7, is of an elongated shape, slightly longer than the boss of roll R which it is designed to accommodate. Journals I of the roll R, shown in dot-dash lines in FIGURES 5-7, are received by leather bearings 12, held in place by arcuate retaining plate 13 mounted at each end of the housing. Screws 14, extending through the retaining plate and the bearing 12 into engagement with housing 11, secure the bearing in position. As seen in FIGURE 7, a space 15 is provided between the outer wall of the housing 11 and the roll R. A clearer pad 20, as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 7, is secured at one end of the housing to be wedged between the roll R and the housing during rotation of the roll in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 7. Securement of the pad to the housing 11 is effected by any conventional means such for example as screws 21 or the like.

As seen in FIGURE 3, the clearer pad is preferably made up of a body portion 22 of resilient material such as sponge rubber or the like. This body portion is secured to a base portion 23 of rigid material such as a. steel bar or the like. The body portion is covered by a sleeve 24 of a textured material such as canvas, leather, or a plastic sheeting such as Armstrong Corks antistatic material.

At the side of the housing 11 opposite said clearer pad 20, a moving wiper belt 25 may be provided as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 7. This wiper belt is employed in arrangements where relatively small diameter rolls r are employed, as for example in an arrangement as illustrated in FIGURE 4, employing Warner and Swazeys pin drafter. The wiper belt 25 is made up of a material such as is employed for the sleeve 24 of clearer pad 20, and is made in the shape of an endless belt trained to move over upper and lower rolls 26, and 2.7, respectively. Lower roll 27, as best seen in FIGURE 8, is journalled in a fixed position in a bearing on housing 11. Upper roll 26 is journalled in a floating bearing 28 attached to housing 11 by means of screw 29 and biased upwardly therefrom by means of compression spring 30. The upward biasing forces belt 25 to be in contact with roll r and to rotate therewith. A retainer plate 31 guides hearing 28 in its upward and downward motion. d

The housing 11 is provided with a coupling duct 32, for connection to a suction system of the Pneumafil type.

The clearer designed for cleaning the upper roll of the 'pin drafter arangement illustrated in FIGURE 4 is identical to that described in conjunction with the lower roll, save that the housing casting 11 is not provided with provision for mounting of the rub belt 25.

In applying the inventive concept to draw frames employing drafting rolls as for example in the Whitin draw frame, structures such as illustrated in FIGURES 9-13 have been evolved.

In FIGURE 9, a stationary wiper'pad 20, such as illustrated in FIGURE 3, is secured adjacent a roll R to be wedged thereby into position adjacent a slot 35 in a duct 36 arranged with its axis parallel to that of the roll R, which it is desired to clear. The duct is designed for coupling into the suction system of a Pneumafil type suction installation.

FIGURE 10 illustrates a modification of the construction shown in FIGURE 9, in which an auxiliary pad is provided on both sides of the slot 35 of duct 36 about the roll.

FIGURE 11, which, as noted illustrates a suggested arrangement for accommodating a plurality of rolls in a single housing, employs a duct 40 provided with a relatively wide axially extending mouth 41 with outwardly flared flanges 42 along said axially extended-mouth 41.

, roll surface.

Flanges 42 serve to support clearer pads 20, of the type illustrated in FIGURE 3. Positioned between each roll, which it is desired to accommodate is a clearer pad 2% which functions to provide a closed system bounded by the walls of duct 40, the clearer pads, and the surface of the roll between said pads.

V The schematic illustration of FIGURE 12 reveals how the inventive concept may best be employed for clearing the bottom rolls R on a spinning, roving or draw frame. A single suction duct 50 is arranged to extend beneath the lowermost rolls R to be cleared. Orifices 51, one for each roll, are provided. Each orifice is provided with flanges 52, on which clearer pads 20 are adjustably mounted. The suction duct may be provided with a nozzle 54 arranged adjacent the path of travel of the yarn strand to pick up any broken ends. Clearer pad 20 is mounted on flange 52, to permit adjustment of said clearer pad and replacement thereof. A screw fastener 53 is found suitable for this purpose.

The arrangement schematically shown in FIGURE 13 illustrates how the inventive concept may be best embodied in clearing the rolls of a draw frame. An arrangement is shown for clearing both the upper and lower rolls R of the draw frame. Conduits C are arranged, one for each roll to be cleared, leading to a central header H. The mouth of each conduit is provided with an apertured support 55 to which a clearer pad 20 is adjustably secured by means of fastening member 56. As shown in the lower right hand portion of the drawing, provision is made for clearing two rolls with a single pad. In this case the clearer pad is modified as at 57, to insure engagement with both rolls. Alternatively, a flexible pad may be employed as seen in FIGURE 14.

Operation The gist of the hereindisclosed inventive concept resides in the fact that the wiper member does not function to remove foreign matter such as lint and fly accumulating on the surface of the rolls by retaining this foreign matter on the wiper, but functions instead to dislodge the foreign particles and funnel them into a pneumatic conduit whereby the foreign matter is drawn off to a collector unit in the suction system.

Where the clearer embodying the above discussed concept is applied to a pin drafter as illustrated in FIGURES I through 8, the wiper pad 26 is, arranged to contact the roll surface before the surface of said roll R passes into the pneumatic housing 11. As best seen in FIGURE 7, the foreign which it is desired .to remove from the roll surface will be funneled between wiper pad 29 and the roll surface into chamber 15. The wiper pad functions to break the bond between the foreign matter and the This foreign matter does not accumulate on the wiper pad but is forced by the roll rotation into chamber 15. It will be observed that this eliminates the need for continuous maintenance of said pad by an operator, for purposes of manually clearing the pad.

Wiper belt 25, as best seen in FIGURE 7, is provided to clear nip roller of any lint or other foreign matter accumulating thereon. It will be noted that the wiper belt is driven by'frictional engagement with nip roll r. Lint on said roll r is picked up by the wiper belt as a result of the above discussed funneling action, and is carried by said belt down into the chamber 15 for removal by the suction system.

The mounting for the belt 25 is so arranged as to maintain said belt 25 in contact With nip roll r, and in a relatively distended position. Leather bearing 12 is oil impregnated, and in addition to providing support for the housing about roll R, serves as a seal for chamber 15 of housing 11. I

In applying the invention concept to yarn draw frames as employed in the cotton fabricating arts, such for example as schematically illustrated in FIGURES 9-13, it will be observed that the suction duct work is provided with orifices extending axially along the rolls to be cleared and that as before wiper members are provided which serve to funnel any foreign matter accumulating on the surface of said rolls into the duct work.

It is thus seen that means have been provided for the removal of lint from the moving surfaces of a machine, and which require minimal attention by an operator.

The above disclosure has been given by way of illustration and elucidation and it is desired to protect all embodiments of the hereindisclosed inventive concept within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In textile fabricating equipment having a relatively large roll adjacent a relatively small roll over which the textile material is passed during the processing thereof, apparatus for clearing said rolls of lint, fly or the like debris, said apparatus comprising: a housing arranged adjacent the rolls; a clearer pad secured at one end of the housing in a position where it may be wedged between the relatively large roll and the housing due to the rotation of the roll; a pair of rolls arranged Within said housing; an endless belt trained over said pair of rolls; spring means biasing said upper roll against the relatively small roll to be cleared; and a coupling duct connecting said housing to an air handling system to provide a vacuum in said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 9271668 Moorhead July 13, 1909 1,123,842 Brown Jan. 5, 1915 2,214,824 Smith et a1. Sept. 17, 1940 2,686,940 Burnham Aug. 24, 1954 2,7 19,363 Buchanan Oct. 4, 1955 2,719,334 Buchanan Oct. 4, 1955 2,719,335 Buchanan et al Oct. 4, 1955 

